Message of Abbot Paul - Thursday 12th January 2023
Abbot Paul • January 12, 2023
Yesterday, Fr Michael and I had the joy of celebrating the 48th anniversary of our priestly ordination, a day for thanksgiving and for many happy memories. God has been very good to both of us, allowing us to serve him in a large variety of ministries in many parts of the world, mostly unexpected and undreamt of when we were ordained by Bishop Daniel Mullins back then in 1975, a Holy Year decreed by Pope St Paul VI, of happy memory. In fact, Fr Dyfrig and I were staying at St Paul outside the Walls that night of 6th August 1978, when Pope Paul passed to his eternal reward. We were in the garden chatting after supper when news came of his death. It was the end of an era.
​Today, in our English Benedictine monasteries, we keep the feast of St Benet Biscop, 628-690, Abbot of Jarrow and Wearmouth, a man who exerted enormous influence over the life of English monasteries, encouraging learning and scholarship and the introduction of Roman customs and traditions. He was, for example, the Venerable Bede’s abbot. Do read what you can about him, a fascinating man and an outstanding international figure.
​Our Gospel reading of Mark, (Mk 1: 40-45), continues with the healing of a leper. We read, “A leper came to Jesus and pleaded on his knees: ‘If you want to’ he said ‘you can cure me.’ Feeling sorry for him, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him. ‘Of course, I want to!’ he said. ‘Be cured!’ And the leprosy left him at once and he was cured. Jesus immediately sent him away and sternly ordered him, ‘Mind you say nothing to anyone, but go and show yourself to the priest, and make the offering for your healing prescribed by Moses as evidence of your recovery.’ The man went away, but then started talking about it freely and telling the story everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer go openly into any town, but had to stay outside in places where nobody lived. Even so, people from all around would come to him.” We note the courage of the leper who comes to kneel before Jesus and the compassion of Our Lord, who stretches out his hand and heals the man, like a new creation. I always think of Michelangelo’s fresco in the Sistine Chapel ceiling of God creating Adam. Then Christ’s order that he show himself and give the appropriate offering to the priest in order to have his cure ratified. He orders the man to tell no one, but the man does the exact opposite, so that everyone gets to learn about it, as a result of which Jesus is no longer free to travel about openly. The whole world wants to be healed.
Pope Francis RIP Pope 2013-2025 Born 1936, Died 2025 We are deeply saddened at the passing of Pope Francis. As the successor of St Peter he has been a spiritual father and shepherd to the church in our day, challenging us, and calling as to reach out to those on the peripheries. He was the first Jesuit Pope, but took the name Francis after the Poor Man of Assisi who modelled for him a closeness to the poor, a concern for those on the margins of society and a care for all of creation In his preaching Pope Francis always spoke of the joy of the Gospel and encouraged us to reflect the joy of our faith in our lives. He showed the compassion of Jesus to everyone. He worked tirelessly for the unity of the church and travelled even to non-Christian countries promoting a message of peace. He has left a great legacy. With the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio with the community over Easter we were able to express our closeness to the Holy Father in his final suffering. There will be a special Mass at Belmont this Thursday 24th April at 11am to pray for Pope Francis as he makes his final journey to the house of the Father. On the day of his funeral, the Office of the Dead will be sung, and Mass that day will be a Requiem. May the angels lead him into paradise; may the martyrs receive him at his arrival and lead him to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive him and with Lazarus, the poor man grant him eternal rest." (The In Paradisum, words from the Funeral Liturgy)
We were were honoured and delighted to be joined by the Apostolic Nuncio to celebrate Easter. His Excellency Archbishop Miguel Maury Buendía is the representative of the Holy See in Great Britain, and therefore of the Holy Father. His presence on Easter Sunday morning brought us more consciously in communion with Pope Francis, the successor of St Peter, as we heard the Gospel story of Peter running to the tomb. His patron saint is St Michael, so afterwards, at a festive lunch we were able to present him with some Belmont cufflinks with the monastery coat of arms - very similar to his as Archbishop. We were able to pray for him and his work in this country.
